College Basketball: Villanova and Notre Dame Open Season in Rome

Villanova and Notre Dame men’s and women’s basketball teams are meeting in a doubleheader in Rome on Sunday to open the 2026-2027 college season. The event, named the Eternal City Tip-Off, was designed to honor the first American pope. The games are being played at the Palazzo dello Sport, an 11,000-seat arena located about a half-hour drive from the Vatican.

The teams traveled to the city after receiving a papal audience on Saturday. Pope Leo XIV, a Chicago native, met with all four squads in the Vatican audience hall. Approximately 7,000 players, coaches, fans, and family members attended the gathering. Leo, who underwent lung cancer surgery in October, did not expect to attend the games, but a group of cardinals and Vatican officials is expected at the arena. The schools also brought their team chaplains to Rome.

During the audience, Leo addressed the fans regarding his potential bias toward his former university. He stated that in matters of sport, the pontiff is neutral. He then noted that his former self, Robert Prevost, might disagree with that stance. “Prevost has another opinion, but we won't do that now,” he said, prompting laughter from the crowd.

The men’s game is scheduled to start at 3:30 p.m. local time, which is 9:30 a.m. Eastern Time. Fox will broadcast the matchup with Bill Raftery serving as the analyst. The women’s game is slated for 6:00 p.m. local time, or noon Eastern Time, on FS1. Notre Dame women’s team is ranked No. 13 and is the only ranked team participating in the event.